November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
William Ball elongated eagle head pommel with slight forehead with football shaped mask style eyes. Squared off mouth has similar stippling decorations as the eyes. Long feathers which flow downward and featured detailed rachis and vanes. Small doorknob capstan. The D-shaped knucklebow is connected to the pommel just under the beak and is almost squared as it meets the 4-slot crossguard. The hallmark "W BALL" is inside the knucklebow. Ivory grip is decorated with twisted silver wire. A red wool buffer rests between the crossguard and narrow ricasso. Like many Ball swords, this example features a Spanish blade with double fuller. The center fuller features the Spanish slogan "NO ME SAQUES SIN RAZON" on one side and "NO ME ENBAINES SIN HONOR" on the other. This translates to "Do not draw me without reason, nor sheath me without honor". CONDITION: The blade retains a brown patina with scattered areas of pitting and heavier patina. Hilt mostly polished, some typical silver oxidation with slight warps and bends to guard. Grip shows scattered age cracks and retains a honey patina. Tight wire, ferrule at base of grip is absent. This sword is featured on pg. 308 of "American Silver-Hilted, Revolutionary and Early Federal Swords, Volume I" by Dan Hartzler.
Paperwork
Excerpt from Book